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NCAA hires higher education leader and veteran inclusion officer

September 5, 2017 1:23pm

Katrice Albert will serve as the NCAA’s executive vice president of inclusion and human resources, a newly created senior position. Albert has a distinguished career in higher education, most recently as the vice president for equity and diversity of the University of Minnesota system. She previously served as vice provost for equity, diversity and community outreach at LSU.

“Our commitment to fairness drives our work as a member association and as an employer,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “Katrice is the perfect fit with the right background, experience and perspective to drive progress for the national office, our members and the half-million student-athletes whose opportunities we work to support. I am excited to have her join my senior management team.”

In addition to her higher education experience, Albert is the founder and managing member of the Third Eye Consulting Group LLC, a diversity management consulting firm assisting education, nonprofit and civic organizations in reaching their inclusive excellence goals. She is recognized nationally for her efforts and frequently is an author and speaker in the higher education and diversity community.

“I’m excited to join the national office to lead the inclusion, leadership development and human resources initiatives,” Albert said. “The broad impact of this new position will give the Association the chance to position the national office and its 1,100 diverse members for success in the future.”

Emmert created Albert’s position after the announcement of the retirements of Bernard Franklin, chief inclusion officer, and Bob Fiala, managing director of human resources. Emmert combined the two groups, previously under separate leadership, presenting an opportunity to build programming better equipped to meet the needs of the national office and member schools.

“I look forward to working with Katrice on the many tough inclusion and human resources issues facing the NCAA,” said Glen Jones, Henderson State president and vice chair of the NCAA Board of Governors. “Getting to know her through the search process, I am convinced that she is well-equipped to handle both the internal and external responsibilities of the position.” Jones chaired the NCAA search committee for the position.

Albert will start in her new post Oct. 16, allowing for a two-week transition period before Franklin retires Nov. 1.